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The Inheritance
From the bestselling author of The Home for Unwanted Girls and The Forgotten Daughter comes a compulsively readable mother-daughter story in which two women who share a difficult past must come to together to claim the future they deserve.
Arden Moore enjoyed an affluent life thanks to her husband’s high-paying job. But a year after his death, the 36-year-old is a grieving single mother deeply in debt and living paycheck to paycheck with her three children. Then an unexpected call from a well-known estate lawyer in New York offers a glimmer of hope. It is the beginning of a complex legal journey that could mean the difference between a life of abject poverty and unthinkable wealth thanks to her father, deceased billionaire Wallace Barclay.
Thirty years before, Arden’s mother Virginia Bunt, a flirtatious love addict with a string of failed affairs, met Wallace, an encounter that transformed her life. When he died unexpectedly without a will, Virginia fought to secure a comfortable future for her and the secret unborn daughter she shared with Wallace. Yet despite her best efforts, society and the legal system prevented her from receiving the money that should rightfully have been hers. Now, though, with changes in the legal system and science, her daughter Arden may finally succeed in claiming the inheritance that has been long denied.
Told from both Arden and Virginia’s viewpoints, straddling past and present, and moving from Toronto to New York City, The Inheritance is a poignant portrait of familial bonds, haunting pasts, the collateral damage of life choices, and the promise of hopeful futures as two venerable women fight for the life they deserve.
Arden Moore enjoyed an affluent life thanks to her husband’s high-paying job. But a year after his death, the 36-year-old is a grieving single mother deeply in debt and living paycheck to paycheck with her three children. Then an unexpected call from a well-known estate lawyer in New York offers a glimmer of hope. It is the beginning of a complex legal journey that could mean the difference between a life of abject poverty and unthinkable wealth thanks to her father, deceased billionaire Wallace Barclay.
Thirty years before, Arden’s mother Virginia Bunt, a flirtatious love addict with a string of failed affairs, met Wallace, an encounter that transformed her life. When he died unexpectedly without a will, Virginia fought to secure a comfortable future for her and the secret unborn daughter she shared with Wallace. Yet despite her best efforts, society and the legal system prevented her from receiving the money that should rightfully have been hers. Now, though, with changes in the legal system and science, her daughter Arden may finally succeed in claiming the inheritance that has been long denied.
Told from both Arden and Virginia’s viewpoints, straddling past and present, and moving from Toronto to New York City, The Inheritance is a poignant portrait of familial bonds, haunting pasts, the collateral damage of life choices, and the promise of hopeful futures as two venerable women fight for the life they deserve.
336 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2024
About the author
Joanna Goodman
9 books1,239 followersJoanna Goodman’s #1 Bestselling Historical Fiction novel, The Home for Unwanted Girls was released April 17, 2018 to wide critical acclaim.
Joanna is the author of four previous novels, including The Finishing School, You Made Me Love You and Harmony. Her stories have appeared in The Fiddlehead, The Ottawa Citizen, B & A Fiction, Event, The New Quarterly, and White Wall Review.
Originally from Montreal, Joanna now lives in Toronto with her husband and two children, and is at work on her sixth novel. She is also the owner of a well-known Toronto linen store, Au Lit Fine Linens.
Joanna is the author of four previous novels, including The Finishing School, You Made Me Love You and Harmony. Her stories have appeared in The Fiddlehead, The Ottawa Citizen, B & A Fiction, Event, The New Quarterly, and White Wall Review.
Originally from Montreal, Joanna now lives in Toronto with her husband and two children, and is at work on her sixth novel. She is also the owner of a well-known Toronto linen store, Au Lit Fine Linens.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews
April 9, 2024
5 ⭐️
Audiobook: wonderful narration
This is my first from Joanna Goodman and wow! I really loved her ability to tell this story of Virginia and Arden (and a bit of Tate too). This family is complex with real, heartbreaking, and emotional challenges and tragedies. I loved the audiobook narration because it held emotion and kept the story moving. Sometimes family dramas can feel meandering but this one was cemented on the inheritance mystery and trial and I think it developed at a great pace. I also think the character development was slow and steady, but beautifully done. I really came to love all the Bunt women and appreciate their strength. This book brought quite a few topics to the surface and I think would be great to discuss as a book club.
CW: self harm, language, elder abuse, rape scene (chapter 22)
Audiobook: wonderful narration
This is my first from Joanna Goodman and wow! I really loved her ability to tell this story of Virginia and Arden (and a bit of Tate too). This family is complex with real, heartbreaking, and emotional challenges and tragedies. I loved the audiobook narration because it held emotion and kept the story moving. Sometimes family dramas can feel meandering but this one was cemented on the inheritance mystery and trial and I think it developed at a great pace. I also think the character development was slow and steady, but beautifully done. I really came to love all the Bunt women and appreciate their strength. This book brought quite a few topics to the surface and I think would be great to discuss as a book club.
CW: self harm, language, elder abuse, rape scene (chapter 22)
April 26, 2024
ok so i only really read this because each time i was at work, looking at the cover made me happy and made me think this would be the perfect summery-mom-book to get me through a stressful time. it really wasn’t that… actually kind of intense. like it’s a full legal drama. still love the cover didn’t really like the story very much but i can acknowledge that it’s not a bad book and it just simply wasn’t for me and for where im at in life. plus side, it’s written by a canadian author and i’d love to read more canadian books going forward!
August 25, 2023
I was totally engrossed in this novel. I felt it had many levels, the obvious narrative and the deeper core of female empowerment.
Arden is a young, broke widow with 3 children. Never having a real career, she is devastated when her husband dies. However, she has always been told that she was the illegitimate child of an extremely wealthy man. Her mother has fought for her inheritance for years, but to no avail.
The novel explores how changes in DNA use might change her financial future. At the same time, her once beautiful mother was raped by someone she met on a dating app. These 2 plots propel a fascinating story of mothers and daughters, The author combines these narratives into both a compelling novel and a paean to feminist identity and strength.
I really enjoyed this novel and rooted for tge women involved in the story. I not only identified with Arden, but also her older mother, faced with the consequences of a frightening dating encounter.
Thank you Netgalley for this very engaging novel.
Arden is a young, broke widow with 3 children. Never having a real career, she is devastated when her husband dies. However, she has always been told that she was the illegitimate child of an extremely wealthy man. Her mother has fought for her inheritance for years, but to no avail.
The novel explores how changes in DNA use might change her financial future. At the same time, her once beautiful mother was raped by someone she met on a dating app. These 2 plots propel a fascinating story of mothers and daughters, The author combines these narratives into both a compelling novel and a paean to feminist identity and strength.
I really enjoyed this novel and rooted for tge women involved in the story. I not only identified with Arden, but also her older mother, faced with the consequences of a frightening dating encounter.
Thank you Netgalley for this very engaging novel.
January 26, 2024
I’ve read a few of Joanna Goodman’s books and she is such an excellent storyteller. This story is ultimately about family relationships and their importance and the definition of what it means to be family. There are so many intricacies in the relationships in this book and it all comes together brilliantly to make a profound statement. This is an easy read, but has some suspense that kept me interested right up to the end. Goodman addresses some very serious topics with heart and aplomb. For fans of Elizabeth Berg and Jodi Picoult.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Harper Paperbacks and Joanna Goodman for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Harper Paperbacks and Joanna Goodman for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 27, 2023
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
4.5 stars, rounded to 5
TW: (not a spoiler, it's how the book begins, but I'll tag it anyway)
Do you know there are several types of good book? There's the exciting, thrilling kind, there's the happy or sad kind, there's the wrack-your-head mystery kind of good as well. Just this last month, I read an exciting and happy kind of good book, but it's actually been a while since I've read a slow-and-steady kind of good book, and this is just what this one was. It's a slow burn, but what you're getting is just the steady kind of good, you know you'll turn the page and it's just going to be good and keep giving. The author won't let you down. Such a good reading experience.
The book is about an inheritance trial, about proving who you are and belonging, but it's not just that. It's also a book about healing - and the theme resonates through many storylines. There's the main storyline - a widow raising her children, suddenly left without a partner, who was also their breadwinner. Then there's her mother, dealing with a recent trauma and having to reshape her framework due to that. Both women have to reevaluate their points of view, as well as their direction in life, and grow past what's been holding them down.
It's a wonderful book, I especially loved the It was very satisfying and showed great character growth. I think I'll be checking out this author's other books too.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
4.5 stars, rounded to 5
TW: (not a spoiler, it's how the book begins, but I'll tag it anyway)
Do you know there are several types of good book? There's the exciting, thrilling kind, there's the happy or sad kind, there's the wrack-your-head mystery kind of good as well. Just this last month, I read an exciting and happy kind of good book, but it's actually been a while since I've read a slow-and-steady kind of good book, and this is just what this one was. It's a slow burn, but what you're getting is just the steady kind of good, you know you'll turn the page and it's just going to be good and keep giving. The author won't let you down. Such a good reading experience.
The book is about an inheritance trial, about proving who you are and belonging, but it's not just that. It's also a book about healing - and the theme resonates through many storylines. There's the main storyline - a widow raising her children, suddenly left without a partner, who was also their breadwinner. Then there's her mother, dealing with a recent trauma and having to reshape her framework due to that. Both women have to reevaluate their points of view, as well as their direction in life, and grow past what's been holding them down.
It's a wonderful book, I especially loved the It was very satisfying and showed great character growth. I think I'll be checking out this author's other books too.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
March 15, 2024
I had difficulty rating this book.
On one hand, the basic skeleton story was engaging and I would say I enjoyed it. On the other hand, I’m growing tired of a good story marred by unnecessary explicit content and crass language. Sometimes less really is more. Give us some credit, authors. We can fill some things in for ourselves.
I had a difficult time with this book also because I found the two main female characters (mother and daughter) fairly unlikeable. I kept thinking of this quote from Gatsby: “that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” Too much fool, for me; while I understood the author’s intents, and there was character growth at the end, the journey getting there was not pleasant.
On one hand, the basic skeleton story was engaging and I would say I enjoyed it. On the other hand, I’m growing tired of a good story marred by unnecessary explicit content and crass language. Sometimes less really is more. Give us some credit, authors. We can fill some things in for ourselves.
I had a difficult time with this book also because I found the two main female characters (mother and daughter) fairly unlikeable. I kept thinking of this quote from Gatsby: “that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” Too much fool, for me; while I understood the author’s intents, and there was character growth at the end, the journey getting there was not pleasant.
March 21, 2024
Arden Moore is widowed suddenly while still in her thirties. Her lifestyle was affluent thanks to Scott, her stock broker husband, but the stock market crash saw their bank accounts dwindling. Her husband though, didn't adjust to the new reality, which meant that he left Arden and their three children almost poverty stricken when he died.
Desperate to improve their lot in life, and despite many misgivings, Arden agrees to a legal battle for an inheritance when approached by a New York lawyer. Arden's mother had gone down that particular rabbit hole before and after years of legal battles, lost... impacting her family in myriad ways. Now though, with advances in DNA and different legal precedents, Arden hopes that she has a chance at a victorious settlement.
This novel portrays Arden's mother's life back in New York, and Arden's life in Toronto thirty years later. Arden is a realistic character which I had empathy for. Struggling to parent her three children while grieving for her husband on top of a complicated lawsuit brings her to the breaking point.
This novel covers many themes such as widowhood, parenting, nature vs. nurture, elder abuse, and avarice. It expounds on how we are shaped by circumstances and the ramifications of the choices we make. With so much to think about, this book would be an excellent choice for book club discussion.
It was gratifying to watch the characters in this book grow emotionally. I very much enjoyed this compulsively readable novel and would certainly be eager to read more of this author's work in the future.
Desperate to improve their lot in life, and despite many misgivings, Arden agrees to a legal battle for an inheritance when approached by a New York lawyer. Arden's mother had gone down that particular rabbit hole before and after years of legal battles, lost... impacting her family in myriad ways. Now though, with advances in DNA and different legal precedents, Arden hopes that she has a chance at a victorious settlement.
This novel portrays Arden's mother's life back in New York, and Arden's life in Toronto thirty years later. Arden is a realistic character which I had empathy for. Struggling to parent her three children while grieving for her husband on top of a complicated lawsuit brings her to the breaking point.
This novel covers many themes such as widowhood, parenting, nature vs. nurture, elder abuse, and avarice. It expounds on how we are shaped by circumstances and the ramifications of the choices we make. With so much to think about, this book would be an excellent choice for book club discussion.
It was gratifying to watch the characters in this book grow emotionally. I very much enjoyed this compulsively readable novel and would certainly be eager to read more of this author's work in the future.
April 1, 2024
Arden Moore abruptly widowed while still in her thirties with three kids. Her lifestyle was affluent prior, thanks to Scott, her stock broker husband. But the stock market crash saw their bank accounts dwindling and she is left with nothing but debt upon his death.
Arden receives a phone call from an attorney about her own father, whom died before she was born in a plane crash. He was an affluent billionaire and this attorney believes she can fight for a portion of his estate now that his son has passed given the new DNA tests and legal changes. Desperate to improve her life, Arden agrees to a legal battle for the inheritance . Arden’s mother, Virginia, had gone down this particular rabbit hole in the 80s and after years of legal battles, lost… impacting her family in myriad ways. Now though, with advances Arden hopes that she has a chance at a victorious win.
This novel covers many themes such as widowhood, parenting, nature vs. nurture, elder abuse, and self harm. It expounds on how we are shaped by circumstances and the ramifications of the choices we make.
I absolutely loved this one. The writer is so good at getting into the brain of Arden, a hopeless grieving mother and her mother, Virginia. The narration, done by Rebecca Low-man, was spectacular. I love the relationship between Arden and her mom- some comedic elements really made me never want this audio to end.
Five stars for the inheritance.
Arden receives a phone call from an attorney about her own father, whom died before she was born in a plane crash. He was an affluent billionaire and this attorney believes she can fight for a portion of his estate now that his son has passed given the new DNA tests and legal changes. Desperate to improve her life, Arden agrees to a legal battle for the inheritance . Arden’s mother, Virginia, had gone down this particular rabbit hole in the 80s and after years of legal battles, lost… impacting her family in myriad ways. Now though, with advances Arden hopes that she has a chance at a victorious win.
This novel covers many themes such as widowhood, parenting, nature vs. nurture, elder abuse, and self harm. It expounds on how we are shaped by circumstances and the ramifications of the choices we make.
I absolutely loved this one. The writer is so good at getting into the brain of Arden, a hopeless grieving mother and her mother, Virginia. The narration, done by Rebecca Low-man, was spectacular. I love the relationship between Arden and her mom- some comedic elements really made me never want this audio to end.
Five stars for the inheritance.
February 23, 2024
A great premise but unfortunately the book is so poorly written that it impossible to care about the characters or what happens to them.
June 7, 2024
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️.5 Light story but felt too much was left unsaid at the end.
August 25, 2024
I enjoyed this book. It’s loaded with complicated people with complicated lives.
Some topics may cause mild discomfort but are well done and integral to the
story. I recommend the book. My thanks to Harper Perennial via NetGalley for
this download copy for review purposes.
Some topics may cause mild discomfort but are well done and integral to the
story. I recommend the book. My thanks to Harper Perennial via NetGalley for
this download copy for review purposes.
March 9, 2024
The Inheritance by Joanna Goodman. Thanks to @harperbooks for the free Arc #oliveinfluencer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Arden’s life changes when her husband dies and leaves her family in debt. A call from an estate lawyer may change everything for her. It’s the beginning of a complex legal journey that will bring out secrets.
While this one was a lot different than I was expecting, I immensely enjoyed it. I was expecting it to be more of a court room legal thriller. There was a small portion of that, but more this was a story on how we build self-worth and identity. Major trigger warning for elder abuse and rape; while it is triggering, I am also glad it was highlighted in this story, as you do not see it often in books- but it does happen and we should know that.
“She’s waited on the precipice of her own life for more than six decades, marking time, standing by, chasing, vision-boarding, all to wind up pulverized and alone on the floor of her tiny bedroom.”
The Inheritance comes out 3/12.
Arden’s life changes when her husband dies and leaves her family in debt. A call from an estate lawyer may change everything for her. It’s the beginning of a complex legal journey that will bring out secrets.
While this one was a lot different than I was expecting, I immensely enjoyed it. I was expecting it to be more of a court room legal thriller. There was a small portion of that, but more this was a story on how we build self-worth and identity. Major trigger warning for elder abuse and rape; while it is triggering, I am also glad it was highlighted in this story, as you do not see it often in books- but it does happen and we should know that.
“She’s waited on the precipice of her own life for more than six decades, marking time, standing by, chasing, vision-boarding, all to wind up pulverized and alone on the floor of her tiny bedroom.”
The Inheritance comes out 3/12.
June 27, 2024
Arden is a single mother of 3 and is struggling financially since the loss of her husband, when she receives notice that she may be the recipient of a large inheritance. Arden’s mother had fought for this inheritance her entire life, thus Arden is reluctant to engage in another legal battle. Desperate for some relief from her financial struggles, Arden sets out to prove her heritage.
This book contains elder abuse, difficult mother/daughter relationships, and intense grief. The characters are generally unlikeable, yet relatable. Goodman effectively portrays the nuances in relationships, and touches on some important topics.
There are many ways that this book could have ended but I am relieved Goodman closed the story the way she did. I enjoyed this book although not as much as “The Home for Unwanted Girls”!
This book contains elder abuse, difficult mother/daughter relationships, and intense grief. The characters are generally unlikeable, yet relatable. Goodman effectively portrays the nuances in relationships, and touches on some important topics.
There are many ways that this book could have ended but I am relieved Goodman closed the story the way she did. I enjoyed this book although not as much as “The Home for Unwanted Girls”!
May 20, 2024
I can’t say that I loved this book. I found Arden, one of the two main characters infuriating. Her epiphany towards the end of the book didn’t ring true, It felt like a convenient way for the author to wrap up the book.
April 10, 2024
I can’t imagine the frustration each generation of these women had to bear due to the recklessness and selfishness of a spoiled rich tyrant. He was ugly to his family, to Virginia and Arden and yet they kept chasing after his elusive money and recognition. They deserved it? Blood relatives? Wasting so much time, effort, money on what? Broken dreams? Although the original man was greedy. It had to have been some of that greed that kept the women continuing to pursue the lackluster promise of being a multimillionaire. The only people who benefit are the lawyers and what did all of the angst come to? I wanted to root for these underdogs females but they didn’t earn any of the money, except I suppose you could say Virginia’s affair was her side job. I’m not saying she started out to be a hustler, but he was a married man. He was her boss. Her eyes were wide-open. In the end, this book was pretty tawdry and a lesson about what was learned? I preferred those characters who were independent women despite the men they were aligned with as I review this book I thought to myself why. What was the author hoping to manifest by taking us all down hundreds of pages of a journey that ended up circular? it was not a satisfying book so I’m not interested in reading her other titles. Sorry not to be more complementary but there it is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2024
I did like the premise of the story, it was interesting and different but there were far too many "themes" and side stories that took away from the main storyline.
It was difficult to connect with the characters - I did not like most of them except for Hal.
It got dry and boring, sometimes repetitive so it was a struggle to finish the book... but I did. Hated the ending, abrupt and felt unfinished.
It was difficult to connect with the characters - I did not like most of them except for Hal.
It got dry and boring, sometimes repetitive so it was a struggle to finish the book... but I did. Hated the ending, abrupt and felt unfinished.
July 8, 2024
The Inheritance by Joann Goodman
Story/Plot: C
Writing: B
Characters: B
Pacing: C-
Best Aspect: I enjoyed the main character’s personality and story a lot.
Worst Aspect: This book dragged so much, and some parts of the story were dull.
Recommend: No.
Story/Plot: C
Writing: B
Characters: B
Pacing: C-
Best Aspect: I enjoyed the main character’s personality and story a lot.
Worst Aspect: This book dragged so much, and some parts of the story were dull.
Recommend: No.
April 9, 2024
An easy read. Didn’t find the characters convincing enough.
April 16, 2024
Title:
The Inheritance
Author: Joanna Goodman
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: March 12, 2024
T H R E E • W O R D S
Lengthy • Fierce • Complicated
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Arden Moore enjoyed an affluent life thanks to her husband’s high-paying job. But a year after his death, the 36-year-old is a grieving single mother deeply in debt and living paycheck to paycheck with her three children. Then an unexpected call from a well-known estate lawyer in New York offers a glimmer of hope. It is the beginning of a complex legal journey that could mean the difference between a life of abject poverty and unthinkable wealth thanks to her father, deceased billionaire Wallace Barclay
Thirty years before, Arden’s mother Virginia Bunt, a flirtatious love addict with a string of failed affairs, met Wallace, an encounter that transformed her life. When he died unexpectedly without a will, Virginia fought to secure a comfortable future for her and the secret unborn daughter she shared with Wallace. Yet despite her best efforts, society and the legal system prevented her from receiving the money that should rightfully have been hers. Now, though, with changes in the legal system and science, her daughter Arden may finally succeed in claiming the inheritance that has been long denied.
💭 T H O U G H T S
For anyone that knows my reading tastes, they will know The Home for Unwanted Girls is one of my favourite historical fiction books. So it will come as no surprise Joanna Goodman's newest release, The Inheritance found its way onto my most anticipated books of 2024.
Told from both Arden's and her mother, Virginia's points-of-view, the foundation of this novel was solid. It was the building blocks and how they were put together that made for a shaky structure. It wasn't the back and forth between the past and the present, nor was it the going from Toronto to New York that convoluted the narrative. In my opinion, it was trying to cover way too many themes, enough for multiple novels. If would have been better sticking to the main inheritance plotline rather than trying to tackle so much. There were times when I found myself more invested in Virginia's story of elder abuse (an important topic not often read about), which really wasn't the main focus.
As for the characters, no one, outside of Hal, was overly likeable. I am not sure why they needed to be written in such a manner. They were overly relatable and I found it hard to empathize with their situation. Eventually I just didn't care anymore, which is never a good thing when reading.
Unfortunately, The Inheritance was my first real let down among my 2024 most anticipated. The middle was a real slog and I often found my attention drifting away. It wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't great. Were my expectations too high? It's quite possible. Do I regret reading it? Not at all. Will I continue to read Joanna Goodman? Absolutely. Will I adjust my expectations in the future? Most likely.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• inheritance stories
• mother/daughter relationships
• messy family histories
⚠️ CW: death, death of partner, grief, emotional abuse, physical abuse, rape, sexual assault, infidelity, ageism, elder abuse, self-harm, pregnancy, miscarriage, sexual content, alcohol, abortion
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Greed is the true enemy… Greed is what will destroy you in the end."
"He died right in the middle of their love story. It wasn't perfect, but it was nowhere near its denouement."
Author: Joanna Goodman
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: March 12, 2024
T H R E E • W O R D S
Lengthy • Fierce • Complicated
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Arden Moore enjoyed an affluent life thanks to her husband’s high-paying job. But a year after his death, the 36-year-old is a grieving single mother deeply in debt and living paycheck to paycheck with her three children. Then an unexpected call from a well-known estate lawyer in New York offers a glimmer of hope. It is the beginning of a complex legal journey that could mean the difference between a life of abject poverty and unthinkable wealth thanks to her father, deceased billionaire Wallace Barclay
Thirty years before, Arden’s mother Virginia Bunt, a flirtatious love addict with a string of failed affairs, met Wallace, an encounter that transformed her life. When he died unexpectedly without a will, Virginia fought to secure a comfortable future for her and the secret unborn daughter she shared with Wallace. Yet despite her best efforts, society and the legal system prevented her from receiving the money that should rightfully have been hers. Now, though, with changes in the legal system and science, her daughter Arden may finally succeed in claiming the inheritance that has been long denied.
💭 T H O U G H T S
For anyone that knows my reading tastes, they will know The Home for Unwanted Girls is one of my favourite historical fiction books. So it will come as no surprise Joanna Goodman's newest release, The Inheritance found its way onto my most anticipated books of 2024.
Told from both Arden's and her mother, Virginia's points-of-view, the foundation of this novel was solid. It was the building blocks and how they were put together that made for a shaky structure. It wasn't the back and forth between the past and the present, nor was it the going from Toronto to New York that convoluted the narrative. In my opinion, it was trying to cover way too many themes, enough for multiple novels. If would have been better sticking to the main inheritance plotline rather than trying to tackle so much. There were times when I found myself more invested in Virginia's story of elder abuse (an important topic not often read about), which really wasn't the main focus.
As for the characters, no one, outside of Hal, was overly likeable. I am not sure why they needed to be written in such a manner. They were overly relatable and I found it hard to empathize with their situation. Eventually I just didn't care anymore, which is never a good thing when reading.
Unfortunately, The Inheritance was my first real let down among my 2024 most anticipated. The middle was a real slog and I often found my attention drifting away. It wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't great. Were my expectations too high? It's quite possible. Do I regret reading it? Not at all. Will I continue to read Joanna Goodman? Absolutely. Will I adjust my expectations in the future? Most likely.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• inheritance stories
• mother/daughter relationships
• messy family histories
⚠️ CW: death, death of partner, grief, emotional abuse, physical abuse, rape, sexual assault, infidelity, ageism, elder abuse, self-harm, pregnancy, miscarriage, sexual content, alcohol, abortion
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Greed is the true enemy… Greed is what will destroy you in the end."
"He died right in the middle of their love story. It wasn't perfect, but it was nowhere near its denouement."
August 6, 2024
2.5/5⭐️
This book wasn’t for me. I was expecting it to be a light hearted read but it covered some pretty dark topics.
TW: elder abuse, sexual assault, grief, self harm
Maybe if I could relate to any of these topics I would have felt differently.
This book wasn’t for me. I was expecting it to be a light hearted read but it covered some pretty dark topics.
TW: elder abuse, sexual assault, grief, self harm
Maybe if I could relate to any of these topics I would have felt differently.
June 10, 2024
I really liked this!
June 29, 2024
I agree with others who said this cover doesn’t portray the intensity of this book. Trigger warnings: rape, elder abuse. Although parts of this book were super engrossing, others felt very much like teachable moments / mini lessons.
If you’re looking for a book about female empowerment, moving forward after tragedy, or the dangers of chasing inheritance - then this book might be for you.
If you’re looking for a book about female empowerment, moving forward after tragedy, or the dangers of chasing inheritance - then this book might be for you.
June 16, 2024
I did like the premise of the story, it was interesting and different. I loved that he had taken place in Toronto, but
It got dry and sometimes repetitive so it was a struggle to finish the book... but I did. Hated the ending, abrupt and felt unfinished!!!! I wanted to know the outcome, kinda left it hanging in the air.
It got dry and sometimes repetitive so it was a struggle to finish the book... but I did. Hated the ending, abrupt and felt unfinished!!!! I wanted to know the outcome, kinda left it hanging in the air.
May 26, 2024
I would give this 3 1/2 stars. It was a bit tedious in the beginning, or perhaps I was just impatient. 3/4 of the way through, it became interesting, pulling all the threads together and our main character coming into her own. Near the end, I couldn't put it down.
October 7, 2023
A mother daughter story that tests the relationship between the two women. Virginia (the mother) has always claimed that her daughter(Arden) is her child fathered by a rich influencial man. Never being able to prove the link, she spends years in court and goes thru many relationships. Her daughter, recently widowed, is now taking care of her mother who has suffered a horrible attack. When new DNA testing becomes available, both must face the challenge to go forward with this claim again. Be forwarned, there are some disturbing sections in this book. I did like this book even thoug it was slow in parts.
December 4, 2023
I liked it. This book should've had a trigger warning at the beginning of the book. Secrets, lies, trauma, emotional and sexual abuse, self-harm, life struggles, fear, grief, DNA, court, money, family bonds, and so much more. This book was hard to read because of the different point of views, plus bouncing all over different time lines, but mostly because of the trigger scenes that I wasn't expecting. All that aside, it is a great story that everyone can find something to relate to.
May 4, 2024
Basically it’s a story of a dead man’s fortune and a family’s never ending quest to get money for the “illegitimate” child, who grows up to be an adult still pining to get money just like her mother had.
There was a secondary line of the story about the mother of the “child” now a grown woman, and how the mother was brutally raped.
I guess the overall theme is one of desire. Wanting money, wanting sex, wanting more.
I didn’t love it; it was kind of boring to me.
There was a secondary line of the story about the mother of the “child” now a grown woman, and how the mother was brutally raped.
I guess the overall theme is one of desire. Wanting money, wanting sex, wanting more.
I didn’t love it; it was kind of boring to me.
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